Pathetic! Read how condemned prisoners are groaning under heavy congestions in Delta prisons

The chairman and members of the Delta state advisory council on the prerogative of mercy have concluded its maiden visits to all prisons across the state with a discovery of 1154 convicted persons in jail for various offences.

The figure includes 32 inmates on life imprisonment, 222 condemned convicts and 900 others serving various jail terms.

The council chaired by Chief Patrick Okpakpor and other members, including the secretary, Barrister Mrs. Uju Monye; Barrister Krees Njuokuemeni; Dr. Samuel Efetobor, Barrister John Okoriko, Hon. Mrs. Irene Imilar and Mrs. Paulina Egbon, were inaugurated by the Delta state Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on the 30th of March, 2017 to help in decongesting prisons in the state.

During the council’s visit to the Warri medium security prison popularly known as Okere prison, 222 inmates were discovered to be on death row out of which four were females, 32 others were on life imprisonment while 900 were serving various terms of imprisonment.

The council also visited the Sapele prison where 82 inmates were serving their terms of imprisonment while at the Kwale, Ogwashi-Uku and Agbor prisons, there were 42, 173 and 104 convicted inmates respectively serving their terms of sentence.

Members of the council had interactions with the convicted inmates in all the prisons and they were encouraged not to give up on their dreams, adding that the period of their incarceration should afford them the opportunity to have deep sober reflections and change their ways.

They were also reminded of the Senator Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration’s commitment to better the lives of all Deltans including that of prisoners, so that when they return back to society, they would become useful to themselves and society.

At the Agbor prison, a 39-year old man who was sentenced to 14 years for defiling a four year old child, received bashing from the secretary of the committee, Barr Mrs Uju Monye, for such an atrocity and told him point blank that he did not deserve clemency because of his act of wickedness against the innocent child.

The bashing came on the heels of the lack of remorse displayed by the convict when he appeared before the chairman and members of the council.

Chief Okpakpor, while promising to make appropriate recommendations to the governor to grant amnesty to deserving inmates, cautioned youths to stay away from crime as the conditions in Nigeria prisons were deplorable and degrading.